Laura Kingdon

Today, South Korea as an economic, technological, and entertainment superpower. How, as a country, did they rebound from war, poverty and political unrest? And how can that success be replicated in other cultures? These answers can in fact be found in understanding the beliefs that Koreans hold close and the values they find significant. Author Boye Lafayette De Mente identifies the unique qualities that comprise the Korean identity and articulates their modern expressions of Korean culture and history in this book. Organized alphabetically by topic, De Mente explains the key cultural code words that make Korea the country it is today. Anyone interested in Korean etiquette whether for traveling or working will discover that their meanings extend far beyond superficial English translations to deeper interpretations. Cultural code words include: Aboji, Ah-boh-jee The Father Culture Anae, Ah-negh Wives: The Inside People Han Yak, Hahn Yahk The Herbal Way to Health Innae, Een-nay A Culture of Enduring Katun Sosuy Pap, Kaht-unn Soh-suut Pahp Eating from the Same Rice Bowl And over 200 more... This in-depth discussion covers the concepts and principles that are integral to the Korean way of life and provides all the Korean history and insight necessary for those readers eager to learn the secrets of this resilient and burgeoning, yet little-understood nation.

Essential Korean Grammar is designed for people who already know a bit of Korean and wish to speak and write the language correctly and naturally—as Koreans do! This book is a great resource for reviewing for an exam, preparing for a business meeting, or traveling to Korea for work or pleasure. Accessible to learners at any level, it synthesizes all the essential Korean grammar points and presents them in a compact and logical form, and enables you to build up a natural-sounding fluency. Essential Korean Grammar is a toolbox to help you form correct and natural-sounding sentences, and determine which grammar you need for reading or writing Korean. It details:Expressing yourself clearly the way native Korean speakers doHow to use Korean expressions, idioms and sentences correctlyAvoiding common grammatical errors made by non-native speakersCommunicating using simple, everyday vocabulary and sentencesThe grammar items are cleverly rated so you can determine what's most useful for you to study, based on your Korean knowledge level and your plans. The star rating system ranges from 5 stars ("critical"; with these under your belt you can communicate almost everything you need to say) to 1 star (don't worry about this unless there's some reason you need to know it—for example, the TOPIK exam).